Markell unveils new education agenda

Governor Markell joined Delaware's Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery to outline the administration's plans to improve education in the First State.

Part of the plan is to improve the state's ability to ensure teacher quality.  That will be accomplished by creating a ratings system for both teachers and administrators to judge their performance.  Teachers who don't receive an "effective" rating would then be provided a mentor or instructional coach to improve their performance.

The agenda also calls for new methods of improving poor performing schools.  26,000 Delaware students attend schools that have not met their performance targets for at least five years in a row.  For those schools, the plan would allow for more aggressive reform measures, including closing the school, converting it to a charter, or bringing in an outside management company to run the school.

Governor Markell says there is significant overlap between his plan and the national "Race to the Top" education grants program from the U.S. Department of Education.

The state board of education will hold a pair of public meetings on the proposed changes before members vote on them on next month.  You can find the complete education agenda by clicking here.